Pray for lower fuel prices

Sections of America's religious communities think they have found a way to beat rising fuel prices – praying.

As prices rose, momentum gathered behind a series of initiatives for church-goers to assemble outside fuel stations and pray for lower prices.

The Reverend Beatrice Williams has led prayer groups in Hollywood, and said: 'There is victory when we stand together. We will overcome, and we will overcome this if there are enough people who believe that God cares.'

The idea to pray for lower prices was instigated by an organisation called Pray Live, which is already claiming a success after about 50 devotees attended a gathering in late April and national fuel prices dropped immediately afterwards. With world oil prices falling, more success is expected.

'This will be a testament to all of the people who don't believe in the power of prayer,' said Wenda Royster, director of Pray Live, which operates a 24-hour phone and internet prayer line.

The average price of a litre of unleaded in the USA is 56.2p, compared with 113.5p in the UK.